St Helens school published newsletter with pupil giving ‘Isis salute’

Andy Moffatt

A St Helens school has issued an apology after publishing a newsletter featuring a pupil apparently making an Isis-style salute.

The offending picture features two male pupils, with one making the jihad gesture while draped in a Iranian flag.

Isis fighters

It was taken to celebrate an international-themed sports day at Rainhill High School.

The school has since apologised and removed the newsletter from its website.

One parent told the Reporter there was “a lot of unrest” among pupils about the photograph.

He added: “I have found out that no sanctions have been put in place for this boy and that after having a day off school he is now back in normal lessons.

“There has been a lot of unrest in the classroom this morning and the boy has been removed from circulation for his own protection.”

The school acted after an outcry from parents following the newsletter’s publication and apologised in its latest newsletter.

“We would like to apologise for any offence that might have been caused by a picture of the front page of last week’s Newsletter,” it said.

The incident bookends a year of unrest at Rainhill High where teachers walked out on strike earlier this year in protest at what they described as intimidation by senior leaders at the Warrington Road school.